Farm Bill talks turn positive last week

If this the compromise holds, it should pave the way for the remaining issues to be resolved, final bill language drafted, budget scores obtained, and all the finishing touches put on the Farm Bill over the next week, while Congress is in recess.

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By USA Rice Federation

Stuttgart Daily Leader - Stuttgart, AR

By USA Rice Federation

Posted Jan. 20, 2014 at 1:13 PM

By USA Rice Federation

Posted Jan. 20, 2014 at 1:13 PM

WASHINGTON

The outlook for completion of the new Farm Bill turned increasingly positive last week as one of the last major areas of disagreement — dairy policy — was being addressed. As of today, it appears House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-Minn.) are nearing a compromise on a new dairy policy.

If this compromise holds, it should pave the way for the remaining issues to be resolved, final bill language drafted, budget scores obtained, and all the finishing touches put on the Farm Bill over the next week, while Congress is in recess. This should position the Agriculture Committee leadership to bring the Farm Bill conference report to the House and Senate floor for approval the week of Jan. 27.

On the issue of payment limits and "actively engaged", House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) and Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) are working tirelessly to ensure these provisions are workable for all family farms in all regions. They seem to be making great progress in this area on reaching compromises that will not unfairly discriminate against farms due to the crops they grow, the size of the farm, or the family members that are involved in the farm.

"Due to the progress made this week, we are increasingly optimistic that a workable and effective Farm Bill for the rice industry will be approved by Congress in the very near future," said Reece Langley, USA Rice's vice president for government affairs. "Passage of this bill will finally help bring some certainty to producers, their lenders, and other industry members."